Linux top: Here’s how to customize it

The top command – referred to below as Linux top – is a command on Unix and Unix-like systems such as Linux, which provides a dynamic real-time overview of a running system. It can display system summary information and a list of processes or threads currently managed by the Linux kernel. The types of system […]

50 Top Observability and Monitoring Solutions – 2024

“A more targeted list that includes 50 server and observability solutions for 2024” Back in 2014, I compiled a list of top server and application performance monitoring solutions. Sharing that list publicly was a great way to gain feedback and recommendations on other tools available. Over time that list grew from 20 to over 100 server monitoring […]

What is iowait and how does it affect Linux performance?

iowait (wait, wa, %iowait, wait%, or I/O wait) is often displayed by command-line Linux system monitoring tools such as top, sar, atop, and others. On its own, it’s one of many performance stats that provide us insight into Linux system performance. I/O wait came up in a recent discussion with a new client. During our support […]

“MySQL server has gone away” error – Solution(s)

The MySQL server has gone away error, which means that the MySQL server (mysqld) timed out and closed the connection. By default, MySQL will close connections after eight hours (28800 seconds) if nothing happens. However, in some cases, your web host, DBA, or app developer may have decreased this timeout setting, as discussed below. MySQL […]

innodb_buffer_pool_size – MySQL Performance

In MySQL performance tuning, few variables wield as much influence as innodb_buffer_pool_size. This essential MySQL configuration parameter directly impacts the performance of InnoDB, the most commonly used storage engine in MySQL. In this second installment in our series on MySQL database performance optimization, we continue to delve into the intricate world of MySQL configuration variables by […]

Free Linux Server Monitoring and APM solutions for SysAdmins

Today’s software applications require developers, testers, and SysAdmins to work together (DevSecOps) more seamlessly than ever before. A single line of code or poorly configured service can negatively impact your application’s performance, causing crippling slowdowns for end-users. This is where infrastructure and application monitoring comes in. Regarding Linux server monitoring, monitoring critical performance metrics of […]

Checkout these 100% Free tools by Solarwinds

SolarWinds believes observability is about understanding the complete state of your application and infrastructure environment. Developers and support personnel must have comprehensive and consistent infrastructure and application performance metrics, visibility into application performance down to the line of code, the ability to trace service relationships, and a comprehensive view into related logs. With their integrated […]

Observability: 15 Industry-Leading Companies Discuss its Evolution

In this article, you’ll find recent commentary from executives and decision-makers of industry-leading observability providers on two key questions regarding the evolution of observability. Published: May 17th, 2021 | Updated: May 6th, 2022 The observability cloud continues to expand and evolve rapidly. Over the past year, millions of workers left their offices to work from […]

Observability, Getting Started – 50 Free Access and Open-Source Solutions

This article examines APM and observability solutions and tools. I’ve also included several quotes collected from observability companies who offer easy access to their platforms and composed a list below of noteworthy observability solutions. I encourage observability providers to extend free and open access to their platforms and software, beyond free trials and without requiring […]

Monitoring PHP Performance and Diagnosing Bottlenecks

As one of the most widely used scripting languages for web development, PHP is known for its flexibility and ease of use. However, with complex applications and increasing traffic, PHP performance can sometimes take a hit. Monitoring PHP performance and diagnosing bottlenecks is essential to ensure that your web applications are running smoothly and efficiently. In […]

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